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TWO NEW ENGLAND BUILDINGS WIN ENERGY STAR LABEL FOR ENERGY PERFORMANCE

Release Date: 06/14/1999
Contact Information: Peyton Fleming, EPA Press Office (617-918-1008)

BOSTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that two New England office buildings, one in Boston and one in Hartford, have received special recognition for their success in controlling energy use.

At a ceremony today at the Park Plaza, John P. DeVillars, EPA's New England Administrator, recognized Two Twenty Two Berkeley in Boston's Back Bay and One State Street in Hartford as the first two buildings in New England to receive the Energy Star Label from the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy. The Energy Star Label for Buildings is given to buildings that show excellence in energy performance, reduced operating costs and environmental leadership.

Boston's 22-story glass tower developed in 1991 and Hartford's 24-story tower built in 1981 were both constructed with the best energy saving technology available at the time, including thermally efficient windows, insulated curtain walls and computerized energy management systems. One State Street has been upgraded to include a newer computerized control system and other modern components to improve efficiency. The two buildings, both managed and owned by Hines Interests of Houston, have been completely refitted with efficient 25 Watt T-12 lamps.

"Two Twenty Two Berkeley and One State Street have both slashed their energy savings by more than 25 percent compared to similar buildings and they're saving hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on their energy bills," DeVillars said today at the ceremony. "Hopefully, we can all learn from these examples that it is possible to save energy, money and the environment at the same time."

Also at today's ceremony, EPA received the 1999 Public Sector Leadership Award from the International District Energy Association, which is holdings its annual meeting in Boston. The award, which DeVillars accepted on behalf of EPA, is in recognition of EPA's leadership relative to air quality and climate change policy.

A 544,240-square-foot building at 500 Boylston St., Two Twenty Two Berkeley has curbed its energy usage by roughly 31 percent compared to similar buildings and the cost savings are estimated at more than $500,000 a year.

Located in Hartford's central business district, the 24-story office tower at One State Street has reduced is energy usage by about 27 percent compared to similar buildings and the cost savings are estimated at more than $350,000 a year.

The Energy Star Label for Buildings is among the initiatives jointly led by the EPA and the DOE under their Energy Star Program. Energy Star is an effort to educate the public about energy efficiency and help consumers identify products that save energy.

"The owners of these building are commended for taking this common-sense step to cut pollution and save on energy costs," said EPA Administrator Carol M. Browner. "Every year U.S. businesses and public buildings pour billions of dollars down the drain in the form of wasted energy."

Energy production involving fossil fuels releases pollutants into the atmosphere that contribute to smog, acid rain and global climate change.

The Energy Star label is given to commercial and public buildings that rank in the top 25 percent nationwide in energy performance and have an indoor environment that meets industry standards. Any building manager with access to the Internet can benchmark building energy performance via the website at www.epa.gov/buildinglabel. For more information on the Energy Star Program see http://energystar.gov or call Norman Willard, EPA-New England's Energy Star coordinator at 617-918-1812.